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United States Patent | 6,051,812 |
Walker | April 18, 2000 |
A snow and ice melting blanket device positioned on a surface and connected to a power source for melting snow and ice accumulating atop the surface. The snow and ice melting blanket device includes a tarpaulin including a top layer, a bottom layer and a third conductive middle layer positioned between the top and bottom layers. A device for sensing a temperature of the tarpaulin is connected to the tarpaulin. A sensing device is connected between the conductive middle layer and the power source for sensing a weight of snow and ice accumulated atop the tarpaulin. The sensing device acts to connect the power source to supply an electrical charge to the conductive middle layer upon sensing a predetermined weight of snow and ice accumulated atop the tarpaulin causing the conductive middle layer and tarpaulin to heat up and melt the accumulated snow and ice thereby keeping the tarpaulin free of snow and ice. The tarpaulin is formed of a flexible material and thus able to conform to a terrain of the surface desired to be maintained free of accumulating snow and ice. A platform having a top side is positioned below the tarpaulin, wherein the top side is arced causing the tarpaulin to conform to the arc shape and any snow and ice melted by the tarpaulin to flow down along and off of the tarpaulin. The melted snow and ice may be directed away from the surface by gutters positioned on the sides of the tarpaulin.
Inventors: | Walker; Lawrence (157 Herbert Ave., Elmont, NY 11003) |
Appl. No.: | 193267 |
Filed: | November 16, 1998 |
Current U.S. Class: | 219/213; 219/528; 219/548 |
Intern'l Class: | H05B 003/20 |
Field of Search: | 219/212,213,528,529,548,549,520 |
2617005 | Nov., 1952 | Jorgensen | 219/19. |
2844696 | Jul., 1958 | Custer, Jr. | 219/19. |
3417229 | Dec., 1968 | Stomphe et al. | 219/528. |
3806702 | Apr., 1974 | Spencer | 219/528. |
4247756 | Jan., 1981 | Cucinotta et al. | 219/528. |
4794228 | Dec., 1988 | Braun, Jr. | 219/415. |
4967057 | Oct., 1990 | Bayless et al. | 219/213. |
5380988 | Jan., 1995 | Dyer | 219/548. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
6-188069 | Jul., 1994 | CN. |